Voters Could Decide if Denver Gets a New Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

Denver is considering a new city department in response to concerns expressed by bike and pedestrian advocates about the implementation of long-term plans.

1 minute read

April 4, 2019, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Denver TOD

Brett VA / Flickr

"Denver voters this November could get a say in renaming the city’s public works department as part of a long-coming revamp that is putting more emphasis on boosting transit and other mobility options," reports Jon Murray.

Murray adds more specifics about the proposal to revamp the city's Department of Public works: "Mayor Michael Hancock on Tuesday announced his proposal to create the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure via a charter amendment that would cement a nearly two-year reorganization effort. It also would redirect the focus of the department after complaints from bike and pedestrian advocates that the city has been slow to implement its long-term plans."

The decision to create a new city department will require the approval fo voters, but there is one more election that will determine the future of the proposal: whether Mayor Hancock is re-elected in a citywide election scheduled for May 7.

For more background on the two-year process of rethinking the Denver Department of Public Works, see earlier coverage from September 2018, written by Andrew Kenney.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in The Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

April 3, 2025 - KERA News

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Green trees, some with fall colors, line a walkway in front of the Wisconsin state capitol dome in Madison, WI.

How Madison’s Tree Planting Efforts Are Growing a Healthier Community

Madison’s annual tree planting initiative is enhancing environmental resilience, public health, and community livability by adding 1,400 carefully selected trees citywide, with strong community and institutional support for urban forestry.

15 minutes ago - The Badger Herald

Red modern train on tracks with large warehouse-type building behind it in Austin, Texas.

Texas State Bills Could Kill Transit Funding in Dallas, Austin

State lawmakers could pull funding from the state’s largest transit agency and the ambitious Project Connect, a voter-approved transit project in Austin.

1 hour ago - The Texas Tribune

Several tents set up by unhoused residents on green lawn in front of neoclassical Union Station building in Washington D.C.

Opinion: DC Encampment Sweeps Hide, but Don’t Solve, Homelessness

President Trump recently ordered the clearing of encampments built by unhoused people on federal land in Washington, D.C.

2 hours ago - Greater Greater Washington